Engine.



Patented May 6, I902. L. BICHNER.

E. N e N E (Application filed Oct. 23, 1901.)

.3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Modl.)

. witueooeo W MQ-HL' BM Pnofcan'noa wasnma'ron n c N0". 699,24L Patented May 6, I902.

L. mcuuzn.

ENGINE;

(Application flled oqt. 23, 1901.) I (NoJlodeL) 3'Sheets-She'et 2.

'No. 699,-24l. v Patented May 6, I902.

v L. BICHNER.

ENGINE.

(Application fl1qd-0qt. 23, 1901.

(I0 Model.) 3 Sheets$heet 3.-

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' 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFmcE.

LEVI RIOHNER, OF ORAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA.

ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 699,241, dated May 6, 1902.

I Application filed October 23, 1901. Serial No. 79,618- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, LEvIRIcHNER, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Crawfordsville, in the county of Montgomery, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines; and I do here- -by declare thefollowing to be a full, clear,

eificiency and which will operate by GXPELIL,

sion of the motivefluid as an impact-engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which will be simple of distinguished from construction and wherein there will be a sim-v ple and efticient reversing mechanism, other objects and advantages of the invention being understood from the following description.

. In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of lindrical piston 14 of the engine, of such direference indicate similar parts in'the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the complete engine with the reversing mechanism thereof. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the engine,- taken in a plane at right angles to the main shaft of the engine. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken in the plane of the mainshaft of the engine, the piston being'in elevation. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the engine.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an engine comprising a casing 10, in which is formed a major cylinder 11 and a minor cylinder 13, the curvatures of which intersect, so that the cylinders communicate, and in the minor cylinder is disposed a cylindrical rotary abutment 12, which fits its cylinder snugly and is packed so as to prevent leakage of steam under working conditions,

the periphery of the abutment projecting slightly into the curvature of the major cylinder. V

In the major cylinder 11 is mounted the cyameteras to'cause it to impinge with its periphery against the periphery of the abutment while being located concentric with its cyl inder. The result is an interspace 15, which forms the expansion-chamber of the engine,

ed'to travel the 'pistomhead 16 in the form of a radiatingrib or lug extending longitudinally of the periphery of the piston and of pansion-chamber. Between the ends of the piston and the heads of the cylinder are disposed packing-rings 18, there being three rings at'each end, and the innerring of each group is split, so that it may be forced'outwardly by steam-pressure. The .head is'provided with the packing-strip 20,while against the rings impinge set-screws 21, which when screwed inwardly actto movethe packingrings against the ends of thepiston and abut- .ment to compensate for wear.

7 The ends of the expansion-chamber terminate in or communicate with. exhaust-passages vand 26, which extend'vertically in opposite directions, andwith these passages are connected the exhaust-pipes 27 and 28, which are in turn connected witha common or trunk pipe 29, the exhaust-pipes 27 and 28 being provided with valves 30 and 31, respectively, having turning plugs and located directly adjacent to the engine-casing.

In the casing and adjacent to the ends of the expansion-chamber are formed the cylinlindrical steam-chests 31 and 32, from which lead ports 33 and 34 to the opposite ends of the expansion-chamber and at opposite sides of the line of contact between the piston and abutment. In each steam-chest is disposed an oscillatory cut-0E valve 35 and 36', respectively, having crank-disks 37 and 38, to which are pivoted eccentric-rods 39- and 40, having straps at their opposite ends which are engaged with the eccentrics 41 and 42 on the piston-shaft. Thusas the piston rotates steam will be admitted only at the proper times.

Connected with the steam-chestsare the steam-feed pipes 43 and44, which are connected with a common feed-pipe or supplypipe 45 through the medium of a three-way valve 46, by operationof which either steamchest may be connected withthe supply-pipe.

In the face of the abutment is a longitudinal groove 47 of such dimensions that as the abutment and piston are rotated in opposite and through this expansion-chamber is adapt- .such dimensions as to fitsnuglylin the exdirections, due to the engaged gears 48 and 49, respectively, upon their respective shafts, the piston-head will enter the groove or slot,

when it would otherwise strike the face of the abutment and be stopped thereby. Thus if steam be admitted from the upper chest and the lower exhaust be open the piston will be rotated to the right, (see Fig. 2,) the steam expanding to rotate the piston and exhausting through the lower exhaust-pipe. If steam be admitted through the lower chest, it will exhaust through the upper exhaust-pipe, and the engine will be driven in a reverse direction.

To properly set the exhaust-valves when the inlet-regulating valve is set, the exhaustvalves have their turning plugs provided with cranks 50 and 51, connected by rod 52, having a pin 53, which is received in the slotted end of a bell-crank lever 54, pivoted on the engine-casing, and this lever is .in turn connected by rod 55 with one end of the handlever 56 of the three-way inlet-valve. Thus when the three-way valve is operated the exhaust-valves are correspondingly set.

The piston-shaft is provided at one end with a belt-pulley and at the other with a fly-wheel, as shown.

WVhat is claimed is- 1. A rotary engine comprising a casing having a major and a minor cylinder which communicate, a cylindrical abutmentin the minor cylinder and projecting into the major cylinder, said abutment having a longitudinal facial groove, a cylindrical piston in the major cylinder having head adapted to mesh with the groove, said abutment and piston lying in mutual peripheral contact, exhausts at opposite sides of the line of contact of the piston and abutment, valves for controlling the exhausts, steam-chests having ports communicating with the major cylinder at opposite sides of the line of contact of the piston and abutment, cut-ofif valves in the chests operatively connected with the piston, a steamsupply connected with the chests and having a three-way valve for communicating the supply with the chests interchangeably, and connections between the three-way valve and exhaust-valves for correspondingly operating the latter from the former.

2. A rotary engine comprising a casing having two cylinders therein which communicate, a rotary abutment in one cylinder having a longitudinal facial groove, a cylindrical piston in .the other cylinder in peripheral contact with the abutment and having a longitudinally-extending head contacting with the wall of its cylinder and adapted to mesh with the groove of the abutment, separate steamchests, separate exhausts, a steam-supply, a valve for connecting the chests with the supply interchangeably, and means connected with the said valve for closing the exhausts interchangeably.

In testimony whereof I afllx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEVI RIOHNER.

Witnesses:

HASEN II. RISTINE, A. H. RICHNER. 

